Beginning Obstacles

Donna, Dorothy, and I first met at Panera not really sure if going to SEA was going to happen yet. After discussing what an urgent need it was, we all decided that night, that we were all determined to go, even on such short notice.Time had become our first obstacle. The English camp had already conducted entry exams for the primary graders and their elite status parents planning and expecting a team of teachers. They have been preparing for months expecting that back in the USA, we were doing the same. Through an honest oversight here in the US, no team was preparing to go. When our liaison in SEA, Clarissa, contacted Pastor Dave and his wife, Becca from Newsong, the realization for the need of teachers was urgent.

We are going to a closed country that is culturally rich and politically sensitive. Being affiliated with a church is not something we can yell out.Thus comes our second major obstacle. This trip is both a mission and a service trip. We cannot proclaim God through name; in fact, we need to be careful of our language not to use any spiritual verbiage at all. However, can teach values of love and forgiveness while teaching the English language. For either mission based or service based trips, finances are raised through individual and organizational support alike. At the time, we had neither. We have not been together to properly raise for finances nor were we backed by a church since all funds and missions were already involved in ongoing training and preparation. Also, the school in SEA that had allocated funds toward us going were not as readily available as we thought.We were up against time and money. Yeah, no pressure.

Through Becca and Dave's talks with groups within our church,a ministry called Xealot, has supported us administratively! Through their backing, it enables our team to be able to go as an organization and for them to track our finances as they come in. The school's finances are not set, but we are confident that they will come in.

Our ongoing 3rd obstacle, is all the minor details, preparations, and complications that are constant. Meeting deadlines, having flight issues,gathering paper work regarding visas and such,and of course curriculum. Our team has been efficient and all get along great! Please pray for continuous harmony in both our work and fellowship. Not to mention our own lives. We all have work, school, families, and separate lives we all need to attend to. Please pray that we all are committed to our own responsibilities as well.

Thank you again for supporting us! Be it through prayer, finances, or friendship,we cannot be on this journey without you. This blog both serves as an account of our journey and to allow you a window to our process and update you on what's current.